NEWS: A Huge Part of Florida Theme Park History Is Permanently Closing on December 30th

By Madeleine Zaharchuk Leave a Comment

We talk about Disney World a lot around here, but there are some other GREAT theme parks in Florida. In fact, the theme park area where LEGOLAND Florida lives used to be home to Florida’s first theme park — Cypress Gardens.

©Visit Central Florida

As the name implies, Cypress Gardens was a “dream garden” created by Dick Pope, Sr., who once told his wife, “Someday we’ll build a Garden and attract visitors to Winter Haven!” according to VisitCentralFlorida.com. Amazingly, it worked.

One of the biggest attractions at Cypress Gardens was the world-famous water ski show. The show became so popular that Cypress Gardens was named the “water ski capital of the world.”

©Visit Central Florida

These days, although Cypress Gardens is no longer open, LEGOLAND Florida has a version of the water ski show called Brickbeard’s Watersport Stunt Show. But, according to Click Orlando, the show will end on December 30th. In its place, a SEA LIFE Aquarium is set to open in the spring.

©LEGOLAND

According to Click Orlando, a LEGOLAND spokesperson stated that the decision to no longer run the attraction wasn’t easy to make, adding, “While we cherish this legacy, we are listening to our guests, and our focus is on introducing new and dynamic experiences to continue creating family memories.”

©LEGOLAND

The water ski show will be the longest continuously running entertainment production in the world. After the show ends, the Cypress Gardens Water Ski Team plans to host free water ski shows on the third Saturday of each month at Lake Silver.

©Visit Central Florida

If you’d like to catch the show before it ends for good, make sure to visit LEGOLAND before December 30th, 2024. In the meantime, we’re always on the lookout for the latest theme park news, so stay tuned for more.

The ULTIMATE Guide to Planning A Walt Disney World Vacation

Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe!

WE KNOW DISNEY.
YOU CAN, TOO.

Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation.

Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever!

Have you ever seen this show? Let us know in the comments!